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A long-lost Bible once owned by Abraham Lincoln, now showcased at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois, could provide fresh insights into his debated religious views, which remain a topic of scholarly discussion.
In 1864, during a visit to Philadelphia to fundraise for soldiers' medical needs, Lincoln received the 18-pound Bible as a gift from the Ladies of the Citizens Volunteer Hospital. Following his assassination in April 1865, Mary Todd Lincoln presented the Bible to Reverend Noyes W. Miner, a close confidant and neighbor who assisted in transporting Lincoln’s body to Springfield and officiated at his funeral, as reported by Smithsonian.com.
The Bible's existence remained unknown to historians until recently. For 150 years, it was preserved within the Miner family, who decided to donate it after a visit to the museum last year. Inspired by the staff's dedication to preserving the history of Reverend Miner and his connection to Lincoln, they chose to share it with the public, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Lincoln, brought up in the Baptist tradition but never baptized, stands as one of only two U.S. presidents without a formal religious affiliation—the other being Thomas Jefferson.
While Lincoln openly expressed skepticism in his youth and early political life, some scholars argue that the loss of his two sons and his crusade against slavery fostered a belief in a higher purpose. Allen Guelzo, author of *Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President*, shared with History.com that Lincoln confided in his Cabinet about his pledge to God: if the Union Army triumphed over the Confederates in Maryland (as they did at the Battle of Antietam in 1862), he would issue the Emancipation Proclamation.
Mary Todd Lincoln, known for her documented interest in séances (which Lincoln might have occasionally joined), maintained that her husband was profoundly religious. Her decision to gift the Bible to Reverend Miner may have been an attempt to solidify Lincoln's Christian legacy.
